A Betrayal in Five Parts
by SallySorrell
Summary: A Jack/Tony/Nina piece, because I probably will never finish my other one. The Story of Jack, Tony and Nina, a few weeks before Day One.
1. Plunge

Had he ever reached such a level? All the literal torture he'd endured, all the bullet wounds and scars he'd collected. None of that was equivalent to this, was it?

This was some mind-game that he hated playing. He'd thrown all his cards down to the table, helpless. She held the dice, which, knowing her, had seven sides.

She cheated on just about everything. Even him, come to think of it.

Jack ran a hand through his hair, parting it in both directions at once. She was looking at him, typically.

This was certainly the lowest his life had reached, thus far. He was doomed to suffer afterward. But, at this moment, he admitted to enjoying it. This was the first and only time in his life that he'd ever confess anything to a tormentor.

The game then reached beyond the mind, and crawled into his actions. One of his hands, pulled by some instinct, reached for her forearm, and grasped it tightly.

Jack pulled her face close to his, until his warm, though trembling breath wandered down her neck.

"Nina..." he began, his voice low.

A sly smile painted her face. She did _love_ it when he said her name. A name so filthy and undeserving, it was unworthy of crossing anyone's lips. But when _he_, the immortal, unsurpassed, sinless _Jack Bauer_ said it, in such a beautiful way, Nina had to be pleased.

A stiff, cold breeze fought through the cell's window.

A holding cell? In CTU's equivalent of a basement?

Jack was absolutely out of his mind. So was Nina, but she was often rewarded for such behavior.

Should a co-worker stumble upon this... well, Jack didn't think his actions through.

That's what she loved him for.

Jack gazed into her grey eyes. They shined like metal, and focused only on him.

Mesmerized, he leaned forward. She met him with a harsh kiss…

Jack pulled her closer, which was barely possible. She folded her head over his shoulder.

A hollow knock came from the cell door. Unlike most in the building, it was opaque.

"Damn it." Echoed from both of them as they drifted apart.

"Jack?" The voice rang form the other side of the door.

It was Tony. Basically, the worst possible person to join the situation.

Nina rolled her eyes. She was shoved into the corner, as far from the door and Tony as possible. Jack opened the door. His hands rushed to remove every hint of lipstick he could recall.

"What?" He wouldn't make up a story unless he absolutely needed to. Tony didn't have time to ask questions.

"The Alpha Team is leaving in five minutes. You're needed."

Jack shoved out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Nina shivered in the room, alone. A single tear rolled from each of her eyes, meeting at her chin, and leaping to the floor.


	2. Tremor

Tony's hands were jagged and cold. That was the only item that Nina's mind could fully process, as they stood together in his office.

Jack had been called on a field mission. Tony was technically on his lunch hour, and was perfectly free. Nina was distracted.

She felt abandoned. Jack had just packed up and left. Not by choice, but still.

So, Nina waited several minutes after he left, as to avoid suspicion, and then headed up several flights of stairs to CTU's main floor.

Tony smirked at her, daring to kiss her hand, and some distance up her arm. He didn't mind that the walls of his office were made of glass.

"It's nice to see you." Tony told her, attempting to sound chivalrous.

Nina didn't register the words. They floated in the air, waiting desperately for a response. As Nina shivered, the comment dissolved.

She could feel her mouth forming a frown. It opened for a moment, beyond her control, and took in a sharp breath. Her eyes flashed open.

Nina had never behaved like this. She barely knew what to call such a feeling.

Simply, it was fear. Of many things.

Tony topped the list.

He was unpredictable, harsh, sarcastic, jealous, and other things no one else would find desirable.

The more thought Nina gave to it; the more she wanted Jack back. He was clueless, but at least he set boundaries.

Nina shoved Tony away, by forcing both of her hands into his chest.

"Tony, I can't handle this… right now." She turned to leave, muttering.

He took a few steps after her, willing to snatch her wrists. The door was slammed before his first attempt.

Nina proceeded to her desk. She sat perfectly still for a moment, with her forehead against her palms and a tear in each eye, waiting for the command to fall.

She could hear footsteps. They obviously belonged to him. Tony turned her silent self-pity into an entrancing mind-game. She refused to look at him, however much she wanted to.

He refused to look away. But, in truth, he enjoyed looking at her. Staring, gazing, gaping. Whatever term you prefer.

She had lost. Nina, eyes moist, chose to turn her head. She took a quick glance at him.

"What is it, Tony? I need to get back to work…"

"I just wanted to tell you something, Nina."

He reached again for her hands. This time around, he was unbelievably gentle.

"What, Tony?"

"I want you to know that I'm never going to hurt you."

"I believe you."

She stood up, and, calmed, allowed him to lead her back to the office.

The door was shut, and the lights were dimmed.


	3. Down Once More

Nina watched his eyes as they filled with blackness, like pouring a cup of coffee. The lights in his office barely glowed above her. Her shadows traced over him, though, at the moment, she didn't want to touch him.

"Tony… I need to get back to work."

He had lured her back into the office twice now, all while Jack was away on a field errand.

"Work or Jack?"

"Jack isn't in the building, Tony. It's none of your business anyway."

"Will it interfere with our work, Nina? You know what's at stake here!"

"Then damn it Tony… let me get back to work!"

She did not await his approval. She stomped out of the room without turning back.

Nina walked down the stairs from Tony's office. Then down another flight to the parking garage. Then down a third flight to the spare holding cells, just for the hell of it.

With cautious breaths, she proceeded to the room where she met Jack earlier. If anyone from Forensics even glanced at the room she'd be dead.

Some of her hairs were left astray on a chair in the corner. Fingerprints against the smooth and sterile walls. Lipstick that he'd tried to wipe off with his hand ended up on his jacket, which, in turn, was sitting plainly on the floor.

Brilliant…

…Behind her, the door clicked open and her heart jumped. She didn't turn around, however. She didn't want to see her captor, the one who would ruin everything she had. 

"Forgot my jacket." A rusty voice announced.

Her head twirled in slow motion.

God, he was stupid. But she looked past that. Most people did.

Jack Bauer, stupid? No. He was the hero, the plotter, and the most beautifully reckless man she'd ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Nina brushed at the offensive, though invisible, things on her shoulders. A distraction, really.

"Anything new?" Nina asked him.

Jack shook his head.

"Nah. A total waste of time. Almost like Tony wants me out of here."

Nina decided then and there that Jack Bauer, her hero, was far from stupid.


	4. Secrecy

Nina needed to keep Jack away from forming suspicions. He was already toying with the idea that Tony purposely got rid of him, which was probably true.

Jack was intelligent, but, with many such people, he was unpredictable.

"Jack…" her words hesitantly left her mouth, standing patiently in the air as they waited to be heard and answered.

After a silent minute, he accepted them.

"What is it, Nina?"

"Tony doesn't know about us, okay? I swear to God he knows nothing."

She was the only person that could sway Jack Bauer's uncertainties so easily. All of his doubts collected together and she discarded them with ease.

Plus, in the end, Tony and Jack could be considered good friends. Jack didn't _want _to have anything against him.

"I told him I needed to do some maintenance on my server. He's expecting me to be down here for at least a half-hour."

Jack nodded at this point.

"Did you formally check your unit back in?"

This time, he shook his head in a slow and deliberate fashion, looking her in the eye.

"I was on my way up stairs to do that…"

"I think we've stumbled onto perfection, Jack."

He twisted his lips into a pained smile that only his wife deserved to see.

She approached him and ran both hands through his hair. She pulled his face against hers, while he silently petitioned.

Her lips were sweet, her hands were warm, and her eyes were absolutely radiant. A flawless screen. Onto them, his own eyes projected images of his fantasies.

Only when his eyelids shut did her eyes burst into flame. Her lashes fanned it vigorously. She knew what needed to be done next. She knew what evil things were yet to come…

She was also sure of one unnerving thing:

She never gave Tony any lies about fixing servers.

Based on her internal clock, he'd be searching for her any minute. At this exact moment, she guessed, he was checking his watch and doing his best to glance nonchalantly at her desk.

Just as Jack's hands began tracing Nina's spine, they both heard thundering footsteps on the stairs above them.

So Nina's clock was off a few minutes. No problem.

"We need to get into the hallway." Nina announced.

They did so, with Jack slipping his coat on as they went. His trembling hands were stuffed in his pockets. Nina nervously stroked her hair in an attempt to reset it.

Tony turned the corner and blinked, so exaggerated that each eye filled with potential tears.

**Author's Note: So, I did my best to make this chapter a sort of moving and poetic piece. Your input on any confusing lines (or ones you like!) would be much appreciated. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your help!  
**

**~Sally**


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